Sunrisers Hyderabad Set to Kick Off IPL 2026 Campaign Against RCB

SRH's Opening Match Details

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) is poised to launch their IPL 2026 journey on March 28 (Saturday) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, facing off against the reigning champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Prior to the tournament's commencement, an all-captains meeting was held in Mumbai on March 25 (Wednesday), attended by the leaders of all ten franchises. Notably, while Pat Cummins remains the captain of SRH, he was absent from this meeting, with Ishan Kishan representing the team instead.

Pat Cummins' Injury Update

Currently, Pat Cummins is recuperating from an injury and has yet to receive a No Objection certificate from Cricket Australia. This injury has sidelined him for a significant portion of the Ashes series and the T20 World Cup 2026. Consequently, it has been confirmed that he will miss the initial matches of IPL 2026. In his stead, Ishan Kishan has been appointed as the captain for the franchise, which is why he attended the all-captains meeting in Mumbai.

Cummins' Return Timeline

Pat Cummins Confirms When He Can Play In IPL 2026

Pat Cummins has arrived in India and participated in a practice session with SRH on Wednesday. He has indicated that he is still recovering but is optimistic about returning to play in the latter part of IPL 2026, provided his recovery goes smoothly. "I'm still recovering from a back injury, but it's good. I'm back bowling in the nets. The IPL is starting soon. I won't make the start of that, but it shouldn't be too long before I'm back out there playing. I'm back bowling. I'm bowling basically every third day at the moment. We've mapped out a plan to get me right by [the] middle of the tournament, so hopefully, if nothing goes wrong, [I'll] play the back half plus the finals," Cummins shared on the Business of Sport podcast.